The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-09-15
aPnLIrICs IN THE GAR.

The comrade who allows himself TO be
carried away by any of this clamor by out
side politicians against the GAR. is weak
indeed. If he have any common-sense at
all, he must know that it is all falsehood-
all partisan malignity. He knows rs well
as he knows anything that there is no
thought of politics in the Post room, or the
Reunion, or the Encampment The only
question there is as TO how good a soldier
man has been, and how good a comrade he
now is There never has been a time in the
history Of the Order when politics was buried
SO far ont Of sight under tide Of warm,
strong and constantly Strengthening COM
radeship as now. The comrades may be
ardent adherents of some political creed, but
they are still more ardent believers that
comradeship overrides everything else
They may be quite firm in their belief that
Republican ideas should prevail in the Gov
eminent, or Democratic ideas, or Henry
George ideas, or Prohibition ideas, but they
are still firmer in their belief that superior
to any or all of these are the ideas for which
they once fought and endured, and made all
manner of sacrifices.
They may be fond of certain partisan lead
ers-Of men who represent their political
principles-of men who have struggled with
them for the success of those principles;
but they are still fonder of the men who led
them to battle; who stood shoulder to Shout
der with them in the awful shock OF conflict;
who marched with them through the storm
and the mud; whose muskets joined theirs
in shooting the life out Of treason and rebel
lion; who starved and suffered with them
in Andersonyille. They do not recognize
that there is any necessity for conflict be-
tween their comradeship and their political
afiiliations-between their affection for their
comrades and their liking for their political
leader and associates If there should be,
however, there is no question as TO which
shall be sacrificed. 1t will be the political
tie every time.
But there is no need Of this. No party
has arrayed itself against the veterans. On
the contrary, all the parties have repeatedly
proclaimed their warm friendship for the
veterans their admiration for their heroic
and invaluable services TO the Nation. Sc
far as mere words can go, there has beer
nothing more TO be desired from any party
If speeches on the stump, declarations by
eager of1ice-seekers, and resolutions in con
ventions could have taken disabled soldier
from the poorhouses and relieved the want
: Of veterans widows and orphans, the savior
of the Union and their dependent ones woul,
have been generously provided for.
1t must be freely conceded, too, that
large portion of the politicians and place
s where they are elected TO make good til
D promises Of their parties and themselves Z
1hS Nc'claHs' AHc NopcS anu pupiC acts Y
y much the greater part Of all the men VIII
n have been elected 10 Office in the Northern
5 States have been consistently in favor of car
! rying out their party's pledges and promise
r 10 do substantial justice 10 the soldiers.
= The comrades have no quarrel with an
IS party. Their complaints are all against Gel
i tain members of different parties who, hay
ing been elected to offices on platforms whic
advocated justice 10 veterans and their de-
pendent ones, have gone back on thos
e pledges and thwarted measures Of relief an
other proper legislation.